Meet The Winner Of Her Agenda’s Inaugural Breakthrough Grant
Building the business that aligns with your passion and purpose is a nonlinear path that every entrepreneur knows, a cycle of setbacks that inject questions and doubt followed by breakthrough moments that validate every risk you’ve taken.
At Her Agenda, we know that story all too well. Inspired by our own successes and challenges over 17 years in business, we decided to pay it forward and launch the Breakthrough Grant.
A Community Of Support
The Breakthrough Grant: Volume I became an outpouring of community at every step. Led by CEO and Founder Rhonesha Byng, on Aug. 17 we opened applications while we reached out to our community to ask for support. The response was incredible: 48 donors contributed $4,343.63 toward our $5,000 goal, with many supporters being the very powerful women we’ve featured in our coverage, including profiles from our Power Agenda series.
With community support behind us, we turned our attention to securing an expert review panel. The objective was to ensure every application received thorough, expert-level consideration. Our call for judges generated another incredible response. Sixty-four accomplished entrepreneurs, executives, and industry leaders who were willing to volunteer their time and expertise as judges alongside the Her Agenda team. Among those who responded were:
- Cristina Morais, Founder, Hamptons Family Media LLC
- Regina Lawless, Founder/CEO, Bossy and Blissful
- Sam Doliner, Co-founder, CEO, Inline
- Tina Wells, Founder, Wellspring
- Lauren Maillian, CEO, LMB Group
- Dr. Nikkia McClain, CEO and Founder, Tene Nicole Creative Agency
- Yanely Espinal, Author of Mind Your Money, MissBeHelpful LLC
- Winter Henderson, Founder & MarCom Strategist, AAMI
- Renae Bluitt, Founder, She Did That
- Christina Wilds, PR Professional, Self/Freelance
- Darian Harvin, Editorial Director, studio symoné
- Esmeralda Baez, Founder/CEO, Elite Vision Media
- Pi-Isis Ankhra, Founder, P.S.314
- Tracey Baker-Simmons, Executive Producer, Baker Simmons Media
- Sarah Kim, Founder, By Way of Us
- Monika Pierce, Founder, The Homegirl Collective
- Debbie Douglas, Founder & CEO, 3DHR Consulting, LLC
- Danika C Berry, Founder, Black Beauty Founders/Glam Body
- Chandra Sara Golan, Real Estate Broker/Entrepreneur, Serhant
- Nancy Redd, NYT Bestselling Author & Host of Madame Noire’s Mompreneurs
- Ericka Pittman, Managing Director, Epitome LLC
- Roberta Annan, Chairperson, Annan Capital Partners
- Grace (Rebecca) Rachmany, Founder/Troublemaker, Sideways
- Robin McBride, Cofounder, McBride Sisters Wine Company
- Palak Patel, Director, vyve by Vayner
- Sheila Marmon, Founder/CEO, Mirror Digital
- Sara Golan, Broker, Serhant
- Lucinda Cross, President, Activate Worldwide LLC
- Camara Helps, CEO/Founder, Camara AUnique Beauty
- Julie Alvin, Chief Content Officer and Digital Media Consultant
- Mele Miller, Founder & CEO, RiteSize Consulting LLC
- Johnica Rivers, Writer, Curator & Cultural Producer, Johnica Rivers Projects
- Melissa Robinson-Brown, Founder & Executive Director, Renewed Focus Psychology Services PLLC
- Ann Shoket, CEO, TheLi.st
- Candice Cook Simmons, President, The Cook Law Group, PLLC
- Arlesha Amazan, Founder & Strategic Advisor, Champion Strategies
- Ezinne Okoro, Chief Inclusion & Culture Strategy Officer, VML
- Jes Osrow, COO, The Rise Journey
- Eman Abdurrahman, Founder and President, Your Virtual Keeper
- Lee Crockett, Founder, Lee Crockett Consulting
- Melinda Wang, Multi-hyphenate Corporate Lawyer, Art Curator, Angel Investor and Business Strategist, MW Projects LLC
- Christine Shaefer, Founder & Impact Catalyst, Live Both And, LLC
- Pamela James, Principal, Paloma St James
- Charreah Jackson, Founder + Executive Consultant, Shine Army
- Becka Dente, Founder & CEO, Purple Insights
- Chedva Vivi Ludmir, CEO and Founder, Consider Labs
- Jessie Sanchez, Creative Strategist, Happy Brand Company
- Jennifer Griffith, Author-Speaker, ByJenniferGriffith
- Kerri Koen, Co-Founder, Partner, Modern Legacy Law Group
- Chandler Holsapple, Attorney, Lethal Legal
- Alejandra Santos, CEO, Into the Next, Inc.
- Dora Rankin, CEO, Author of The Heart Sell and Business Coach
- Clara Ma, CEO & Founder, Ask a Chief of Staff
- Misasha Suzuki Graham, Speaker, Author, Attorney, Advocate, Dear White Women, LLC
- Katrina Purcell, Founder, CEO, Katrina Purcell LLC
- Adrian Granzella Larssen, Founder, Society Content
- Linda Du, Founder & CEO, Moola Money
- Juhi Saha, CEO, Partner1
- Demi Oloyede, Founder, Limpiar Inc
- Rosaline Raj, Founder, Creative Chaos Communications
- Leah Dergachev, Founder, Austley
- Yunice Emir, Head of Corporate Communications, Moët Hennessy USA, LVMH
- Kat Shayne, Founder & CEO, CIRT
The First Breakthrough Grant Winner
After reviewing 203 applications, we’re excited to announce that Ugenia Stokes of FWIN Productions has been selected as the recipient of our inaugural Breakthrough Grant: Volume I.
FWIN Productions is a BIPOC, woman, & LGBTQIA+-led production and film company, specializing in scripted narrative, documentary and animation at the intersections of art, education, community and technology.
“A breakthrough, to me, is the moment when all the pieces you have been building come together,” Ugenia wrote in her application, reflecting on what this opportunity means to her.
Her vision and business exemplify exactly what we hoped to support through this grant, an opportunity to move forward.
As we celebrate Ugenia’s success and this season of gratitude, we’re honored to have given an entrepreneur the gift of breakthrough.
Please consider donating or applying to support The Breakthrough Grant: Volume II, helping us continue this mission of empowering women entrepreneurs.
